


Hygiene

by Caellen



Category: Original Work
Genre: Based on a dream I had, Execution, Gen, How Do I Tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 23:48:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29500881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caellen/pseuds/Caellen
Summary: The sky was blue and his hands were red.
Relationships: Original Character & Original Character, Original Female Character & Original Male Character





	Hygiene

It was a nice day, not terribly bright, but the sky was blue and the clouds pleasantly thin. The path was always clean and pristine, with the smooth and orderly stone laid down. It was, however, a day where I had great abhorrence. I had on a long skirt, with a thick band of ribbon around my waist, purposefully tight to suppress the nerves. My hair was down, the uncomfortable need to hide my face unable to be held back. The teacup I was holding—set down with trembling fingers—was still full, the knowledge that even the calming nature of tea would be nothing to the sheer paralyzing nausea I would endure later.

I left home scared.

The walk there was quick. I remember hating the heels I was wearing, with the way they dug into my ankle when I stepped forward. Still, I had a place to be at. A place where I was ordered to be at.

The platform had been cleaned, clear of excess and ready. The vivacious chattering of the crowd covered up my wobbly steps. I trembled as the sounds of dragging metal got closer.

A huff of air brushed my ear as I jolted, hearing a laugh that quickly disappeared. I looked up and there on the platform he waved.

His light blonde hair looked more vivid in the light, contrasting with his deathly pale skin. With his bright smile and crinkled blue eyes, he looked joyous, incredibly so. I clenched my hands. Fionn grinned while waving at the crowd.

It took me longer to see the man, shoved onto the platform, from my place on the left. I bit my lip. His expression, with steady eyes and a tensed mouth with grim acceptance, seemed to bore into me, even with him so far away. The man stood tall, like a pillar, his complexion like the dark wood of the platform and his hair like charcoal. The contrast between him and Fionn was apparent from the beginning.

A ray of light hit my eyes, causing me to avert them. I knew even without looking that it was Fionn, twirling his blade. I had no desire to see what would happen, hands grasping my skirt, my eyes closed. My mind was not so lenient on me.

The first slice was across the neck. It always is. The gurgling of blood made my mouth dry. It was an execution, and those in charge had no qualms about what would happen after the initial beheading. Even with eyes shut I could imagine every single action: Fionn cutting downwards in a perfectly straight line, forcing the ribcage apart, and tossing out the lungs with a sickening splat onto the platform. The consecutive noise of the spine that he tore out, to the wet cracks of the other bones, I switched my hands from gripping my skirt to grasping my arms, shuddering slightly. Phantom sensation wracked my form.

The crowd jittered, some of the people cackling at the “entertainment” being provided with glee. I could never agree. The squelching of blood and flesh continues and I can barely hear Fionn’s humming and soft narration under all of this noise.

I don’t know how long the entire ordeal was. Fionn is quite quick with his hands now and with my constant flinching and apparent fear, I couldn’t tell the time. All I know is the swift flick of blood splattering onto my face as the crowd applauded. Fionn’s cheerful laughter absorbed the delight as I slowly opened my eyes, still averted from the platform. Fionn’s wet, sticky,  _ red _ hands grasp my own, as he waves back at the crowd. His face is always clean, and I look back to him to see that it hasn’t changed. Only his hands, the one thing connecting us, told of the pain he inflicted.

The crowd stays a polite distance around him, as I step behind him as if he would protect me, as if he would be a shield against these people,  _ as if he is a barrier _ . I could feel his smile as he held my hand a bit tighter. My heart still stutters and my breathing is shallow. The ghost feeling still hasn’t subsided.

“I’m glad everyone enjoyed the show today. Honestly, your appreciation gives me so much motivation to continue to entertain,” He says, flattery spilling out of his mouth. “I could never be bored with everyone here waiting to watch.” He smiles, before saying his goodbyes and well wishes. “I hope to see everyone here next time too!”

He drags me along, humming under his breath as he skips forward. I stumble forward, as he pays no heed to how I lurch behind him. Once we are a good distance away, I take a breath.

“Where are you taking me?” He laughs, soft and sweet at that. Stopping, he lets go of my hand. His smile and posture don’t stop his judgment from reaching me. He doesn’t mention anything, just glancing over me with a wry smile on his lips.

“Ciara,” he says, gently. “Look at yourself.” He steps forward, his hand coming up to my face. I flinch away, as his thumb presses and rubs a circle into my cheek. He whispers directly into my ear, condescendingly. “You’re filthy.” He steps away, huffing in amusement. “Obviously I was taking you to my place so you can wash off.”

I look at him. He stretches out his hand and smirks as my shoulders fall and I take it. I don’t say anymore as he finally drags me to his home. It took me stumbling and almost falling for him to look back at me. His apathetic stare bores into me as I straighten, trying to stabilize myself in these terrible heels. He sees the redness around my ankles and chuckles at my plight. Still, he goes back to dragging me forward without any care.

Going outside of town, the incline gets steeper and the path rockier. His pace is consistent with long strides, as I try my best to match them even as my legs ache.

Once we reach his house, he lets go of my hand to hold open the door. “After you, Ciara.” 

I step in and he closes the door behind us, taking the time to lock it. He pushes me onto the bench at the entrance before kneeling down and undoing the straps on my heels. He caresses the red lines and the slight bruising. I hear him murmur, “ _ Beautiful” _ under his breath before leaving me there to go off into some other room.

He comes back with a towel and hands it to me. Observing me for a couple of seconds, he smiles. His unrelenting stare stops as he goes and lifts me off the bench. “It would be faster to carry you there Ciara. After all, with your weak form, you would probably collapse before you even clean yourself up.” He carries me all the way to the baths, setting me onto the marble floor. He grabs the basin on the side before dumping it on me. The jolt of cold passes through me as I shiver.

“Ciara. Look at me.”

I follow his command, as he enunciates his words slowly. “First, you had to be ordered to go out for the execution. Second, you were late and kept me waiting. Third, you didn’t even watch.” He stares down at me. “ _ Are you an idiot, Ciara? _ ” 

“You made me so angry I flicked some of that guy’s dirty blood onto your face.” He shakes his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you made me do that.”

“Get yourself cleaned up Ciara.” He says before turning on his heel and leaving.

I clench the towel, feeling the dried blood across my cheek, and gaze at the drawn bath.

If I walked out an hour later, clean but with red puffy eyes, there was no mention of it.

**Author's Note:**

> I still don't know how to tag well... In any case, I had posted this on quotev a while ago but decided to post this here too. The entire execution scene was from my dream. It was quite terrifying to me at the time, and thinking back on it, I'm quite astonished as to how vivid it was, as I didn't actually see anything at all.  
> I tried my best to convey that portion, so do give me your thoughts.  
> Also, feel free to comment on any tags I should include.


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